Friday, 31 August 2012

Two out of two – Tickety Boo!

Saturday 18th August

CML North

Easington United 3 Thorne Colliery 1

So, the Olympics are over.London
– and indeed the country as a whole – can be proud of its part in staging what
even the Aussies have acknowledged was possibly THE best Games yet.Ah Sepp Blatter, look what you could’ve won!

Still, the start of the domestic season has helped
and especially so given our winning start.There was also a chance for Roy Hodgson’s new young Lions to show how
much England’s
footballers had learned from the heroes of Team GB.

Singing the National Anthem appeared to be one
lesson (although in fairness, the new boss had instilled this practice in most
of the squad at the Euros).

The singing of “God Save The Queen” had become
something of an issue during Great
Britain’s Olympic matches; in particular, the
reluctance to join in on the part of the Welsh men and the Scots women became
the subject of much comment.

While it irritates me that someone willing to take
an official honour from the monarch (as Ryan Giggs did) then admits to being
unable to join in with her anthem I do feel the time has come for England’s
sporting teams to now have a song of their own.

The rousing renditions of “Land
Of Hope And Glory” from the
Commonwealth Stadium in Manchester
in 2002 nailed that as my choice.However, I know many people prefer “Jerusalem”,
the choice of the England
cricket team.Either way, surely we
should now reserve “God Save The Queen” only for sporting occasions in which
all four home nations are united?

Thankfully, the England boys appear to have picked
up other good habits from the Olympians; winning being one and some proper
humility in post-match interviews being another.I wonder how long either will last!

The run-up to the first home CML game meant first
programme of the new season.Given the
“feel-good factor” present since the appointment of the Sumo, a solid core of
Holderness-based players in the squad and the opening day win, I gambled on a
decent crowd.

With another BP sponsorship deal secured for the
programme and access to the spanking new printer, I have to say this season’s issue
looks the best it’s ever done.And at
two quid for 32 pages I think it is excellent value for money – especially as
once again there’ll be no gate charged for entry to Low Farm.

With a cracking weather forecast, my only worry was
that I hadn’t printed enough copies.Hmm…

﻿

We buried my Uncle Ted on Saturday morning.At 83 years old, I believe him to be the
oldest yet of Mum’s nine siblings, although Frank and Peter could go on to
claim that particular title.

Ted was a farmer all his working life and went out
in style, being brought to SkefflingChurch on the back of a
“thractor an’ thrailor”.The church was
full, the Revd Heale entertained us by, among other things, chewing corn as
part of his eulogy and Ted was laid to rest among family and friends.As surviving son Keith and daughter Wendy
wrote in their acknowledgement in the Gazette the following week, it was all
“fost rate”.Just the way Ted would’ve
wanted it.

I was glad to swap my suit for something cooler before
football.With Mrs Slush taking the Slushettes
to a friend’s party in the afternoon, we enjoyed a leisurely lunch with my mood
darkened only by Five Live’s commentary of Becchio’s decisive goal for Colin
Wanker’s side at Elland Road.

Before kick-off we had our “official” photo shoot,
with the lads sporting the new strip sponsored by Hull-based Sure Powder
Coatings Ltd.With a frame for which our
range of club merchandise doesn’t yet cater, the manager looked slightly out of
place in his baby pink tee-shirt.But I
think he got away with it…

We had two changes to the squad from Glapwell, with
Meddy away at a Festival and Neilo nursing sore nads following the midweek
snip.I had a feeling that his presence
may be missed more, given his industrious debut at Hall Corner, and for the
first 45 minutes I was proved right.

After a bright opening ten minutes we were rocked
by a spectacular strike from Callum McCormack.According to Charlie, the 35-yard free-kick “moved all over” en route to
going in off the post.Well, our new
matchballs were “Euro 2012 Replicas”!

I stayed away from the changing rooms at half-time,
spending the time instead in conversation with Thorne’s hard-working club
secretary Joy.She explained the lack of
subs in the visiting contingent – five players were suspended; four as a result
of the “feisty” game with champions Westella at the back end of last
season.This also explained the absence
of the influential Darren Fell, here today in alternative employ as asst-mgr.“He’s injured anyway”, added Joy.

Apparently, my absence from the players’ area meant
I missed the first Sumo Rant of the new season.Shame.At least I got to see the
results of it as the lads produced a much improved display to turn the game on
its head.

Enjoyment at second successive win was enhanced by
news of Jay Simpson’s late winner for the Tigers against Brighton.It was just about enough to compensate for a
very poor day on the financial front.

crowd of just 38 had seen the Sumo’s first home
win and from that number only ten had bothered to buy a programme.Alarm bells were starting to ring inside my
head.A full match report of the game, along with Burt Graham's pictures can be found here

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This Blog provides...

An opportunity to indulge myself. Local football, real ale, a bit of rugby league & a touch of retro music, these are just a few of my favourite things.It began life as mainly about The Eastenders of Easington and their foray into the Central Midlands Football League.But it soon learnt to digress - leaving plenty of other bits of complete and utter tosh for you to enjoy, abhor or simply ignore!

Sixty Years of The Eastenders 1947-2007

An East Ender

To Holderness people, an 'East Ender' is known as a person living in the area of land skirted by the River Humber on the one side, the sea on the other, and landwise, bounded by, roughly, Dimlington, Holmpton and Welwick, and in the middle is Easington.Easington is the place where you find the real Yorkshire philosophy and humour.The Holderness Gazette, Friday March 19, 1965

About Me

A born and bred 'East Ender' from the #HumberRiviera in God's Country.
Thanks to the wonders of North Sea Gas, I've also worked here for the past twenty-odd years.
I have a very tolerant wife and two beautiful daughters.
Outside my day job, football rules - from local grassroots at Easington United to the Premier League (& back) with the mighty Hull City.
Other sporting dalliances include the "world famous" Hull Kingston Rovers, Yorkshire Cricket and most of our national teams.
I'm involved in football administration at local level and also follow from afar an eclectic mix of teams including Millbrook (Cornwall), Hearts, Glentoran and Hannover 96.
I have a pride in my country (past & present) that sits uncomfortably in today's society, a thirst for real ale that is at odds with the current cafe-bar culture and a taste in music that can be described as "outdated". But being fashionable was never my strongest point!
Oh, and if you're wondering, "Slush" is a nickname that stretches back generations on my dad's side - probably originating from the usual mispronunciation of our surname!

Any of Easington United's four "showpiece" finals: ER County FA Intermediate Cup Final, May 1999; ER County League Junior Cup Final, May 2001; Grays Humber Premier League Cup Final, May 2004; ER County League President's Cup Final, May 2010 - all won!

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The views expressed in this blog are those of the author except where otherwise stated. They are not necessarily the views and opinions of Easington United AFC from which 'A Game In Four Quarters' is totally independent.